View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
  2. TV
7 September 2017

Blowers bows out: highlights of the Lord’s cricket commentary

Pure professionalism on BBC Radio 4.

By Antonia Quirke

Despite this summer being his last as commentator, we haven’t heard much from Blowers on Test Match Special. Which makes it all the more important to tune in to his final hours at Lord’s this week, unexpectedly a decider between England and the West Indies.

Henry Blofeld’s 47-year trademarks have been noting passing buses and seagulls, but these weren’t mere eccentricities. He deeply comprehended such things  as vital elements of a match, augurs of the ever-shifting mood. A friend at Headingley recently found himself watching a flock of pigeons at square leg, and wondering if there was perhaps seed down there that they were enjoying. “That’s cricket,” he reasoned. “Pigeons are very much involved.”

Highlights of the 2017 commentary so far:

Quintessential Blowers at Lord’s, on the spinner Keshav Maharaj: “And it’s Maharaj again, as always sleeves buttoned to his wrists, a sense of mystery, bowls to Bairstow who shuffles nervously across his stumps.”

Aggers waffling at the Oval: “Yes, both mice and giraffes have the same number of bones in the neck, and similarly Temba Bavuma and Steven Finn have the same number of bones in their necks, but are very different players.”

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Boycott enduring Simon Mann’s tender tribute to Blowers during Day 4 at Lord’s against South Africa, by doggedly pretending it wasn’t happening:

Mann: “He was there in my first test as a commentator in Bulawayo, and it’s been an absolute joy and a privilege…”

Boycs [paying no mind]: “These lads’ll be looking forward to a day off…”

Mann [heedless of Boycott]: “We’ll miss the pigeons and the buses, the flamboyance. Go well Blowers into your retirement…”

Boycs [in an orgy of ignoring]: “In the old days they’d have had to play an exhibition match on the fifth day wouldn’t they, eh?”

Ed Smith and Phil Tufnell on gauging conditions in Scarborough:

Tuffers: “If the seagulls were all sat on the wall it’d be time for a bat; if they’re circling, have a bowl.”

Smith: “I remember someone would go down to the sea and come back and say ‘definitely bowl, the crabs are moving.’”

This, dear reader, is professional sport. 

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

This article appears in the 06 Sep 2017 issue of the New Statesman, Corbyn’s next move

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU